"As Long as We Both Shall Live": A 3-Day Marriage PlanНамуна

Roman Bridges

"The winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:25)

Yesterday we talked about being committed to your partner for better and for worse. Another way to look at this issue was once related by the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer. He described the bridges that were built in Europe by the Romans in the first and second centuries A.D. The bridges still stand today, despite the unreinforced brick and mortar with which they were made, because they are used for nothing but foot traffic. If an eighteen‐wheel semi were driven across those historic structures, they would crumble in a cloud of dust and debris.

Marriages that lack an iron‐willed determination to hang together are like those Roman bridges. They appear to be secure and may indeed remain upright for many years—until they are put under heavy pressure. Then the supports split and the structure crumbles.

Is your marriage constructed to withstand unusual stress as well as normal wear? Take the time to install a proper foundation—the Lord Jesus Christ. Then build your relationship on habits and attitudes that will sustain it under heavy pressure.

Questions for Today . . .

• Has there ever been a time when your marriage seemed less than solid?
• Do I know a couple whose marriage has stayed secure under stress?
• What’s their secret? Do you see any cracks—even tiny ones—beginning to appear in your marriage? What can your do to repair them?

Prayer . . .

Father, I turn to the unshakable truths of Your Word and the unfailing promise of Your presence to hold my marriage together. Thank You that I can live and love securely—even under stress—because You are in this marriage with me. Amen.

(Excerpted from Dr. James and Shirley Dobson’s book, Night Light for Couples. Used with permission.)

Bonus Content: How to Find Joy When Marriage Is Hard

It can be hard to feel happy when the circumstances around you aren’t going right. Difficult times can weigh heavily on us—and on our marriage. However, Brenen and Morgan Beeler remind us that things don’t have to be perfect for us to experience joy. It can come from seeing all that God is doing in and through us, and remembering that “the joy of the Lord is [our] strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10).